Compacting apparatus and method



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G l* A N C J m lll/llll/IMINQ [NQ] M@ o -.--UIL -u o u. Y .d o o mno. .Qlv m N@ MU 7.. l MN m w N@ Ot. 7, 1941..` A. c. FISCHER coMPAcTING APPARATUS AND 'METHOD 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 18, 1956 NSN Patented Oct. 7, 1941 comAcrrNG APPARATUS AND METHOD Albert C. Fischer, Chicago, lll. Application May 1s, laas, serial No. 30,465

3 Claims.

This invention relates to compacting apparatus and the method in which it is used. In its illustrated form the apparatus includes means for compacting fibrous material such as straw into sheets or other articles of special shapes, and for securing the fibers in such products together either by stitches or by an adhesive, or both. The apparatus can also be used with plastic substances or mixtures or anything which can be made to retain its shape sufficiently after compacting. Y

In the applicants copendlng application Serial No. 65,841, filed Feb. 26, 1936, a large number of products were disclosed which could be made by compacting -various substances or mixtures. 'I'he present application discloses in its broad aspects apparatus suitable for forming such prod` ucts. An object of the invention is to provide suitable apparatus and a suitable method for forming such products.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from the following description, taken with the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view of one preferred form oi' this invention.

Fig. 2 is a somewhat more detailed, though still largely diagrammatic view ofthe compacting unit forming a major part of this invention, some portions being broken away.

` Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view of one form of product which may be made by this inven tion.

Figs. 4 and 5 are fragmentary vertical sectional views taken substantially along the lines 4-4 and 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Figs. 6 to 10 are views of modified forms of the compacting channels.

. Fig. 11 is a fragmentaryview of a plunger suitable for use with the channel of Fig. 9.

Although this invention may take numerous forms, only one has been chosen for illustration, except for the modifications of channel cross section to produce different products. In the preferred form of the invention illustrated in Fig. l, the apparatus includes four units. Unit A is a compacting apparatus which is illustratedy more 'fully in Fig. 2. Unit B is a stitching machine, the details of which are not shown since such machines are available on the market. It is preferably a machine which, as shown in Fig. 3, simultaneously sew`s stitches along a plurality of parallel lines in the sheet material which is fed through the machine. Unit C is for apply- -ing a suitable adhesive or surface coating, the pre erred form including the combination of spray guns and squeezing or kneading rolls. Unit D is a dryer which may be steam heated. The sheet material may be drawn from the drying table D by feed rolls II and maybe carried to any desired point to be rolled up or cut into strips. Of course additional feeding rolls or other feeding means may vbe provided wherever needed or desired.

Referring now to Fig. 2, it is seen that the compacting unit A comprises the combination of a channel I4 having the cross section of the desired product, a plunger I8 adapted to recipro cate into and out of said channel, and feeding means for supplying straw or any other suit-v able'esmaterial to a position in front of said plunger The plunger I 6 may desirably comprise a plate which in the illustrated form is a simple nat plate for producing a flat sheet material. The plunger slides along a table top I8 which is supported by suitable framework I9. The plunger may also be guided by angle irons ZI suitably positioned above the plunger and preferably adjustable to permit substitution of plungers ofdiiferent sizes. At the rear end of the plunger I6 may be provided one or more upstanding lugs 23 to which one or more connecting rods 24 may be pivoted. The otherends of said connecting bars are each pivoted toa suitable crank pin 26 on a crank shaft 21 which is driven by a gear 28 which in turn is driven by a pinion 29 and a wheel 30. The wheel 30 may be driven in any suitable manner as by a belt 3| and a motor 32.

The channel I4 may be formed in part bythe table top IB and in part by a top plate 36 which may be adjustably positioned between the verti cal flanges of angle irons 31 which form the sides of the channel. Adjustability of the plate 3B and therefore of the cross section of the channel I4 may be obtained by screws 38 screwing through suitable support members in the framework I9. Of course the bottom plate I8 and the top plate 36 may be of any desired thickness and may be reinforced at various points and may each be made up of a plurality of separate plates. If separate plates are used for the top plate 36, these may be separately adjustable. For some purposes such an arrangement is preferred, since it is desirable to have a portion of the channel constricted to oppose the movement of the material therethrough, but it is not necessary that the whole channel be thus constricted, and in fact it is desirable for many materials that the portion ofthe channel in which the plunger reciprocates be of uniform cross section longitudinally so that the plunger will operate in said channel smoothlyk and with Just enough clearance to have the desired effect. This clearance may be so slight that straw or other material is cut oil by the plunger, but when straw is used it will usually be preferred to leave enough clearance so that the loose ends of the straw will extend along the top surface of the plunger so as to nest the successive charges of straw or secure ally will be much 2 thorough intertwining and matting of the various straws. It desired, a recess may be formed in the receiving portion I! of the table top just outside of the entrance to the channel so that loose ends of the straw will also extend along the under face` of the plunger.

The feeding'apparatus may be of any illustrated form, but is illustrated as embodying a pair of wide belts 4I carried by suitable rollers 42 and 43, which latter may be driven .through sprocket wheel 44, chain 45, and sprocket wheel 4l keyed on the end of crank shaft 41 or 'other-` wise driven at a relatively slow speed. Side plates 48 may be provided at the ends of the belts 4I to` retain the material on the belts and cooperate with the belts to` form a hopper. Guide plates 49 may be provided below the belts in the positions shown to direct the fed material to the position where it will be picked up by.the plunger and compacted. The belts 4I will urge the material downwardly with sufllcient force to insure its being caught by the end of the plunger, and if necessary a recess may be provided in the bed 39 below the level of the plunger to facilitate this action. Other feeding apparatus may be used to supply the material in special conditions, as intermeshed in a thin layer; or with the nbers all parallel. Also different materials may be fed in succession to produce a striped or variegated effect. Or different materials may be fed, continuously at different transverse positions.

The plunger I8 may be provided with a plurality of pegs 50 along its front end for increasing the interlacing or nesting of the bers and thusprovide a sheet which is more firm than would otherwise result from the compacting alone. For some purposes the sheet thus resulting may need no further treatment, especially if the fibrous material supplied to the compacting unit is mixed with some adhesive or plastic material, or with any materialwhich is cohesive, such for example as clay or earth.

Many materials will be somewhat elastic and after being compacted will spring back when the plunger is withdrawn. If the expansion should be enough to be objectionable retaining bars or teeth could be inserted into the channel I4 in front of the piston as it is withdrawn.

The sheets formed in this manner may be of any desired width and thickness, but they probably will not be over two inches thick. and usuthinner than that.

unit A the compacted sheet passes to a stitching machine B. This machine may be of any form. at least one suitable form being on the market at the present time, namely the L. F. Fales stitching machine which may be obtained with dinerent numbers of alined stitchers. Whatever machine is used, it is preferably one which forms a plurality of parallel lines of stitches in the material fed through it.

From the compacting Thus, if there are eight stitching heads on the machine, the finished product will resemble that shown in Fig. 3 in which the straw or other fibers will be intertwined with one another, though extending predominantly transversely of the sheet, and these fibers will be secured together by the aanwas Beyond the stitching 'machinerie 'sheet' indy be treated with any cementitious material or an adhesive such as any suitable glue or with any coating material such as shellac, paint, varnish, plaster, or the like. Such materials may be applied in any suitable way, as by running the material throughs loop extending `down into a vat or by spraying it with spray guns 8| which may be supplied from suitable compressed air and treating material through headers 82. From the spray guns 6I the sheet may be passed belongitudinal lines of stitches 5I. Of course these stitches couldconceivably be applied by hand.

It may be best to keep the sheet compacted until it has been stitched,l and to this end the plate II may be continued as shown at 53, to or even through the stitching machine B, suitable slots being provided to permit the stitchins machine to operate.

tween squeezing and kneading rolls 64. Any loose material such as mineral granules or fibers, or vegetable or animal material, or illings, or electrolytic deposits may be applied as by sprinkling on an adhesive or cementitious undercoat.

The sheet may finally be dried in any suitable manner as by passing it over a drying rack Il provided with any suitable heating means such as steam pipes 68.

In some instances it may be desired that tlie fibers should not be intertwined as shown in Fig. 3. For example, to provide a thatched roof, the straw 'or other fibers may be cut to the desired length and fed to the compacting unit A in parallel relationship. The plunger I6 vwill then press the straws or fibers through the channel I4 in a continuing parallel relationship, in which relationship they will be sewn by the stitching machine B. It should be noted that such a thatch type of sheeting will not be waterproof in itself unless it is especially treated, but it will nevertheless be very desirable as a decorative and protective covering for roofs a1- ready waterproof.

The pegs 50 may be omitted informing this I such as a woven fabric or a paper felt or thelike. This can be accomplished by feeding such a preformed sheet through the channel I4 with the material that is being compacted. This may be done by providing an opening in the receiving portion 39 of the table top I8 and passing the preformed material through said opening and through the channel I4. In that case of course the top of the table top I8 should be spaced sufficiently below thebottom ofthe plunger I6 to allow room for the preformed sheet. The preformed sheet may "either bel drawn off of a roll positioned immediately below the bed Stor may be drawn from a remote source 0f Supply.

If it should be desired to form several narrow sheets instead of one wide sheet, this may be accomplished by placing longitudinally -extending division walls in the channel I4 or possibly by ysimply inserting slitting knives in said channel beyond the position. to which the plunger I6 is thrust. Another way of accomplishing the same result is to provide the plunger with projecting knives which sever the fibrous material along longitudinally extending lines as it is compacted. l

The material may also be divided along transverse lines by inserting transversely extending separating bars or. plates which will pass through the channel I4 with the compacted material. A

ters and the transversely extending divisions will result in separately formed slabs which may be of a suitable size forshingles or other covering corrugated cross section as shown in Fig. 6.'

Such a channel may be built up from a plurality of members 6|8, 636, and B31 as seen in Fig. 6, or it may becast in one piece as may most other special forms. 'Ihe plate M8 has been shown in section to indicate that ii.' desired it can be extended to form the bed 39. Of course the channel and the resulting sheet may be given any other cross sectional shape, and the plunger will be shaped with a cross section corresponding to that of the channel GII. Ihere are many other shapes and many other corresponding products that may be-made by a compacting unit such as that shown in Fig. 2. When it is not practical to use the stitching machine B with the products formed by the compacting unit, the material a plurality `of individual plunger elements 92| adaptedA to llt snugly or .loosely into the channels 9M. 'I'he front end of the plunger elements may be full size or may be reduced as shown at 922 to produce a nested eii'ect. It may be mentioned that each type of plunger may have a similar reduced front portion with or without the pegs l0, and with the thicker rear portion of a size to cut ofi' the straggling ilbers or to allow athin layer of them'to remain.

In F18. 10 is shown a multi-channel unit for forming a plurality of sheets at once. This unit has three channels ||l| which are shown of rectangular cross section though they. could have any cross section or one or each could have a diierent cross section. The plunger would of ,course have three correspondingly shapedplunger elements. The three sheets formed in .l this way could be kept separate or simply sewn supplied to said unit will probably comprise a mastic or cementitious mixture which will retain itsshape well after extrusion from the channel I4. Among the products which can be i formed are pipes, pipe halves, bars, and the like,

for which suitable channel blocks have been il,

lustrated in Figs. 7, 8 and 9. g

In Fig. 7 the channel block H8, which' may be built up of two halves if desired, is provided with a plurality of longitudinal channels lll which have been illustrated as circular in cross section, although they could be square or could have any other cross sectional shape. Within each o! the channels 'lll` is positioned a core 120 which may be supported by 2short knife-edged ns 12|. 'Ihe cores '|20 are preferably tapered to a 'point at their ends to facilitate the'feeding of the ilbrous material into them. 'I'he plunger of course would include a plurality of plunger elements, each of approximately the size of the passage lll which would press the material into these passages. The plunger elements may be annular and extend beyond the beginning ot the cores 120, or they may be solid, the cores '|20 being positioned entirely beyond the stroke of the plunger. With the channel member shown in Fig. 8, there are a plurality of channels IM semi-circular in cross section and formed in a base plate EIB. Atop plate 838 may be provided which is either iiat to form half rounds,

or is provided with core-like ribs 820 to form hall! pipes. these special shapes may be used individually or together by unit B or pressed together as by rollers and, if desired, sewn subsequently. Also some plastic or loose material could be injected between them, as by an extrusion nozzle, or a liquid could be sprayed between them.

The disclosures of this application are illustrative and the invention is not to be limited by them. In fact, if modications or improvements are not at once obvious, they will probably be devised in the course of time to make additional and possibly better use of the broad ideas here taught. The claims are intended to point out novel features and not to limit the invention any more than may be required by prior art.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for formingproducts of deilnite shape from a suitable elongate brous raw material, including a compacting unit-having a channel and a reciprocating plunger for forcing g said material into and through said channel in its substantially original alignment,` the front end of said plunger being oi' reduced cross section to cup and nest successive charges of the It should be realized that all of joined together to form mats, or, in the case of half pipes and the like, joined in pairs to forml pipes or pipe coverings or the like.

In Fig. 9 is shown a channel member similar to that shown in Fig. 7 except that the channels 9|4 are smaller in diameter and the cores 12B have been omitted. The channels in Figs'. 7, 8 and 9 may be closer together if desired. A channel member such as shown inFlg. 9 would formsolid bars or rods, and the channels lll may be provided with any desired cross section, such as square or round.V It should be understood that in every instance where a channel of special shape is provided, the Aplunger should be correspondingly shaped. Thus, for the Fig. 9 channel the plunger structure may include a base 920 as -seen in Fig. l1 from which extend matrial in a direction transverse to said alignmen 2.Sheet forming apparatus including a compacting unit for compacting elongate iibrous material into a sheet, and including a channelhaving the cross section of the desired sheet and a reciprocating plunger for forcing the material into and through said channel and compacting it therein, means for feeding said brous machannel in its substantially elonterial to said gate alignment and a stitching machine receiving the sheet from said compacting unit and forming a plurality of parallel lines ofstitches therein extending longitudinally of the sheet and substantially transversely to the elongate ilbrous material, the iront end or said plunger being of reduced cross section to cup andnest successive' charges of the material.

3. The method of forming shape from a mass oi' elongate fibrous material which comprises feeding the material in a substantially aligned state to a compressingazhannel, compacting successive charges of said ilbrous material into said channel having a cross section of the desired shape, causing said material to pass through said channel, and cupping each charge oi' material and-nesting it with respect to the previous charge while maintaining the general alignment of the ilbrous material.

ALBERT c. FISCHER.

products o f deilnite- 

